


Where Chosen Pearls Swell

by belial



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Age Difference, Alpha!Bucky, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Cop!Bucky, Hooker!Rumlow, Human!Steve, M/M, Mates, Werewolf Mates, Werewolves, omega!Rumlow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-26
Updated: 2014-09-26
Packaged: 2018-02-18 21:28:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2362712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belial/pseuds/belial
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A raid on a motel has Police Sergeant James Barnes upending his life when he meets the police commissioner’s underage stepson and a shy Omega hooker known as ‘Bones’.  </p>
<p>(Or, the AU where Bucky’s a not-so-hardened cop, Steve’s still a loveable punk, and Rumlow’s a barely legal rentboy in need of a good home).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where Chosen Pearls Swell

**Author's Note:**

> This story started out strong and then fizzled at the end. Hopefully it's still good...
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the fandom, characters, etc. I make no profit from this. Title from a John Donne poem.

** One **

“Hey Barnes, you’d better get up here. Room 218.”

Bucky pushes a hand through his hair and grabs for the radio hanging from his utility belt. “What’s up?” he asks.

“This is something you need to see in person,” Clint replies, and that’s all Bucky needs – he knows his partner too well. He takes a fleeting glance around the dingy motel room, sees that the rest of the S.W.A.T. response team has the room secure, and heads for the door.

He’s tired from the raid, and the lateness of the hour, but the adrenaline’s yet to wear off; if it were a full moon, he knows he’d be howling. The raid had been planned for weeks; Armin Zola’s motel was a known hot-spot for prostitution and drugs, and they’ve collared more than thirty known johns and dealers. So he’s curious as to what Barton could deem so important and not want to discuss it on an open channel.

He stops in front of the already-open door of 218, and knows immediately what the problem is – or one of them. The sweet scent hits his nose first; molasses and clean laundry and baked apples. “What’ve we got?” he asks, even though he knows an Omega when he scents one.

Two sets of eyes flash up to him from the bed. The first is a slender blond boy with bright blue eyes who glares at him. He’s just on the other side of puberty, and looks as though he’s going to fill out nicely when he gets a little older. He’s dressed in khaki pants and a plaid shirt and is definitely not old enough to be in a place like Zola’s. 

The other boy, though; this is the puppy he smelled, dark-haired with a squared jawline and the thickest eyelashes he’s ever seen on a man. He’s too skinny, probably half-starved from street living and his biology. He’s barefoot, wearing nothing but a pair of the tightest black jeans imaginable.

As Bucky walks into the room, the dark-haired boy’s eyes go wide and he whimpers, scrambling across the bed to get closer to the wall. He crouches in the corner, eyes down, shaking hard.

It’s a mean feat, since he’s got his hands cuffed behind him.

“Hey, hey!” Barton snaps, grabbing the kid by the shoulder. “Where do you think you’re going, huh?”

“Clint!” 

Clint blinks at the command in Bucky’s voice. “Buck?”

Bucky doesn’t know what possesses him to stride into the room, stopping a foot away from the boy. He kneels down on the carpet and tries not to think about what germs are there. “Hey, kid. Kid, can you look at me?”

Chocolate brown eyes meet his, and Bucky can’t help thinking how pretty he is. “Good boy,” he says, gently. “I’m not gonna hurt you, okay? I’m a cop, and I’m not going to lay a hand on you.”

He points at Barton. “That’s my partner, Clint. He’s a beta, a good guy. He’s going to step away from you and tell me what’s going on, and you can stay here in the corner. But you gotta promise me you won’t run, okay?”

The Omega nods, looking between Clint and Bucky, and then glances at the blond boy on the bed. Bucky also looks to the boy sitting on the bed, who’s seething angry. “So you want to tell me what’s up?”

“I can tell you what’s up,” the boy spits. “But how about you step away from my friend?”

Bucky arches an eyebrow, and hears Clint blow out a breath behind him. “Your friend, huh?”

“This is Steven Grant Rogers,” Clint says, before the blond can reply. “He’s Alexander Pierce’s 16-year-old stepson.”

Bucky grits his teeth against the profanity that wants to spill out. “Commissioner Alexander Pierce?”

“One and the same.”

Bucky rubs a hand across his face. “Well, shit.”

“We’re not doing anything illegal!” Rogers says, and gestures to a chair by the bedside. Thankfully it looks like Clint hadn’t cuffed the boy. “My art supplies are right there, are you people blind?”

Bucky takes a look at the chair, and sure enough – a sketchbook and what looks like charcoal pencils are strewn across the chair, table, and floor. He walks over to the bed and sits next to Steve. “So, Rogers – can I call you Steve?”

“Whatever. How about you let Bones out of his handcuffs, since he’s not a criminal.”

It’s almost an order, not a request, and Bucky has to suppress a smile. The kid would’ve been an Alpha if he’d been born a wolf. “I gotta say, Steve, this doesn’t look really good for either of you.”

The sixteen-year-old juts out his chin. “I don’t care how it looks, I’m tellin’ ya that we’re not doing anything illegal.”

“So you just happen to be in a motel room, known for being a crime area, during a police raid?”

“Bones is my life drawing model.”

Bucky blinks. “What?”

Steve starts to stand, and Bucky puts a hand on his shoulder. “Where d’ya think you’re going?”

“To get my sketchbook. While I do that, you can unlock my pal from those cuffs.”

Cheeky little shit. Bucky doesn’t try to stop the grin this time. “Okay, kid, I’ll give you a shot to talk your way outta this. Clint, you want to uncuff Bones and bring him over here?”

Clint murmurs something close to the word ‘softie’ under his breath and Bucky ignores it. As soon as the Omega’s hands are free, he pushes himself to his feet, cautiously coming around to stand next to Steve. The pair returns to Bucky’s vicinity and Steve thrusts the sketchbook towards Bucky’s hands. “Look,” he says. “Life model.”

Bucky flips the page open, feels Clint come up beside him to look over his shoulder. Sure enough, the first drawing they see is the Omega boy’s face, chin tipped down and head tilted to give him an air of youthful mischief. The drawing emphasizes his eyes and the soft little lilt to his mouth. 

He’s gorgeous.

Bucky flips the pages quickly, but he gets glimpses that don’t do anything to stifle his Alpha libido; Bones’ hands, his hips, the swell of his soft cock, the stretch of the muscles in his back, the curve of his lush little ass. “You’re a really good artist, Steve,” he says, burying lust under his professional persona. “So tell me why you two are here.”

“That’s my fault,” a soft voice answers, but it’s not Steve.

“Bones…”

“No, Steve, it’s okay. I brought him here,” the Omega continues. “Because he wanted… the first time he asked me to pose for him, this was the only place I knew we wouldn’t be bothered.”

“What’s your name, Bones?”

The Omega shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter. I’m exactly what you think I am. But Steve’s a good kid, he’s not… he’s not a john. He really just draws me.”

Bucky blows out a breath through his mouth, because yeah. The kid… boy… man? Just admitted to being a hooker. “How old are you, Bones.”

“Almost nineteen.”

“Jesus Christ, stop talkin’!” Steve says. “Are you just tryin’ to go to jail?”

“Gotta tell the truth,” Bones replies. “Can’t lie to an Alpha so well.”

Steve’s head whips around to stare at Bucky. “You’re an Alpha? Isn’t that somehow against the rules, like, you can’t interrogate him because he’s O?”

“You know he’s an Omega?” Clint asks, ignoring the question. “How?”

“I hid him in my stepfather’s garage during a heat so he’d be safe,” Steve says. “But that didn’t answer my question.”

“Well, normally, you’d be right, Steve,” Bucky replies. “But see, this isn’t an interrogation. This is a conversation we’re having. Now, if you two were under arrest, then we’d be playing by a different set of rules. So for now, I’m going to ask the questions, and you’re going to answer them honestly. You understand what I’m saying?”

Bones reaches out, tugs Steve’s arm. “It’s okay that he’s asking,” the Omega says. “He’s not… he’s not influencing me, it’s okay.”

Steve wraps an arm around the older boy’s shoulders. “You tell me if it’s not okay anymore. Promise.”

“I promise,” the hooker says, dutifully. He spares a grin for the blond boy. “Alpha.”

Steve blushes, and they bump shoulders. “Idiot,” he says, fond. “Just makin’ sure you’re okay.”

“So you want to explain how you two got to be here? Where a legal-aged prostitute is in Zola’s with the underage kid of the police commissioner?”

“My stepfather thinks my art is a waste of time,” Steve says, scowling. “He wants me to pursue a real career. When I was ten he married my mom, and I got moved out of my middle school and into private school so I could learn ‘important’ things. I knew Bones from my last school before I moved. He’s my friend. All I do is pay for the room, and we get to hang out while I draw.”

“You could see why Mr. Pierce didn’t want me hanging around with Steve so much once we got older,” Bones says, glancing at Bucky from under his eyelashes. “But I promised Steve that I’d never stop being his friend, whether or not his stepdad approved. And here we are.”

“Have you ever been picked up before?” Clint asks the Omega, and the Omega nods. Clint continues, “For soliciting?”

“No. For truancy, when I was Steve’s age.”

Bucky gives the two of them a stern look. “Bones, I need your name. We’re going to run you, and if you come up clean, then tonight – this once – we’re going to cut you loose.”

“Barnes!”

“I can’t arrest him for modelling for an art student, Barton,” Bucky says, shooting both boys a smile. “No money exchanged hands, and if they’re not doing anything illegal – you didn’t find evidence of drugs or sexual intercourse, I assume – then we don’t have anything to hold them on.”

“My name’s Brock Rumlow,” Bones says. “I’m going to be easy to find in the system, I was one of the Timber Den kids.”

Jesus, the kid’s story went from bad to worse. The Timber Den was a place on the lower side near the water, in a high poverty area. The curator of the den was a guy Bucky knew and respected – Bruce Banner. Normally, the home for orphaned wolves struggled to stay open. And despite Bruce’s best efforts, the betas and Omegas from the Den didn’t last long when they turned of age and could no longer stay at the facility. “Barton…”

“I’ll go run it. Be right back,” the beta replies. Bucky hears the softening of the other man’s tone immediately, and the knot in his chest loosens. 

After the other officer leaves the room, Bucky examines the two boys again. “You have a way home?” 

“I took the bus here,” Steve replies. “I’m on the Upper East side.”

“That’s almost an hour away,” Bucky says. “Isn’t anyone going to look for you?”

“If I don’t make it home in time to sneak back into the house before six a.m., yeah – they’re gonna look for me.”

“And what about you?” he asks the dark-haired boy. _Rumlow_ , his mind whispers. “Where do you go from here?”

“M’ staying with a friend,” he says, vaguely, but Bucky didn’t just fall from the apple tree yesterday.

“Your pimp?”

When the Omega blushes red, Bucky grimaces. “I can’t let you go back to a pimp, kid.”

“He’s got all my stuff. It’s not much, but…”

“Right, here’s how we’re going to play this. You’ll come with me while I bring Steve home. And then we’re going to go pay a visit to your pimp and get your stuff, and I’ll get you squared away in a group home for unmated Omegas. I’ve got a buddy that owes me a favor. But you’re not going back to the streets.”

Rumlow opens his mouth to argue, but Steve beats him to it. “That sounds like a great idea, officer,” he says, and kicks the dark-haired boy in the ankle. “We agree.”

“But Steve!”

“No,” Steve says. “I’ve told you a hundred times that you need to get out of this and go to one of those homes. And if it means I get yelled at by Alex and mom, then that’s fine, because it means you’ll finally be safe and I just might be able to sleep at night without worrying all the time. Who’s gonna be my best friend if you get killed out here, huh?”

Rumlow’s answer is cut off by Clint’s re-entry. “They’re telling the truth, Barnes,” he says, gruffly. “Brock Rumlow, age nineteen, registered Omega from the Timber Den, picked up once for truancy. No current place of address listed.”

“We’ll fix that,” Bucky says. “Do you think you can handle the rest of the processing of the scene and whatnot?”

“Yeah. Get out of here and take care of these two.”

Bucky gives him a grateful look and Clint rolls his eyes. “Bleeding heart,” the beta says, shaking his head. “Beat it.”

Bucky gets up, tells Rumlow to get dressed and helps Steve gather his art supplies. Once the two boys – because Bucky can’t look at the Omega as a man – are packed and ready to go, he leads them down the back stairwell of the motel to his unmarked sedan. He opens the backdoor behind the driver’s seat and gestures for them to get in. “I thought you weren’t arresting us?” Steve asks, looking betrayed. “I’m not…”

“Get in the car so I can get you out of here,” Bucky commands, allowing the Alpha tone to slip into his voice. He still has to deal with the commissioner and a pimp, and he’s not putting up with any more of Steve’s lip. “This isn’t a damn limo service and you can’t ride in the front with me.”

Rumlow slides into the car without complaint, and Steve follows after a moment’s hesitation. Bucky gets into the driver’s seat, starts the ignition, and pulls out of the lot. “Both of you duck your heads.”

They obey, and Bucky directs the car into the flow of traffic. Once they’re a few blocks away, he tells them it’s safe to sit up. “Steve, what’s your address?”

Steve gives it to him and he programs it into the GPS of the cruiser. The ride is spent in near silence, and when he pulls in front of the double gates of a huge mansion, he spares a glance to the backseat. Steve’s staring out the car window, glaring at the streetlights, and Rumlow is asleep with his head in the other boy’s lap. “We’re here,” he says, keeping his voice low. “You want to wake him? And give me the key code so I can drive in?”

“Seven four nine eight is my code,” Steve says. He shakes the sleeping boy in his arms while Bucky punches the code into the gate. Snuffling in the back seat has him glancing in the rear view mirror in time to see Rumlow press a kiss to Steve’s cheek and then sit up on his own.

He drives the car forward and dreads the conversation to come.

** Two **

He leaves Rumlow in the car when he brings Steve to the door, ignoring the way the boy kicks and shoves at him. “I could just crawl in the window the same way I got out!” he says, and Bucky grins at him.

“No, you can’t. I have no idea if somehow someone might catch wind of your name, since we had to verify who you were, and I’m not going to be responsible for letting you wander away from a crime scene without bringing you home and talking to your folks. So knock it off, hold still, and handle the situation you caused like an adult.”

With that, he buzzes the intercom on the front door. A voice responds, “Good evening, may I help you?”

Bucky holds up his badge to the camera in front of the intercom. “Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes to see Commissioner Pierce, please. I’ve got his son with me.”

“ _Step_ son,” Steve corrects. “He’s not my father.”

Bucky could see the daddy issues from space, wonders what it is about wealth and privilege that the boy hates so much. “You got a reason to hate the man like you do?”

Steve shuts up, turns away from Bucky’s inquiry. He lets it go as the front door opens. A security guard stands before him, glancing him up and down. “Sir? The commissioner’s getting dressed but he asks that you both come in.”

Bucky grabs Steve by the arm and gives him a shove into the open door. They’re led to a huge sitting room and Steve flops into one of the chairs. “This is gonna suck,” he says, glowering at the wall.

“You bet it is, young man,” a deep voice says from the hallway. “You’re going to be grounded for life.” 

A greying redhead walks into the room, navy bathrobe cinched tightly around his waist. The commissioner – a human – stops, examines Bucky before he walks into the room. “Sergeant Barnes,” he says.

“Sir,” Bucky replies. “I’ll cut right to the chase: tonight S.W.A.T. raided Zola’s motel in the waterfront district, made several arrests, and in the process came across your stepson and his best friend hanging out in one of the rooms. Because he wasn’t involved in any of the illegal activities, I thought it prudent to get him out of there before any camera crews arrived and ensure his safe return home.”

Pierce closes his eyes and looks to be counting to ten. “It was that boy, wasn’t it. The one from his old school.”

“His name’s Bones. Surely you can’t have forgotten.”

Both adults turn to glare at Steve, who shrinks back into the chair. “Well, if I could invite him over here, we wouldn’t have to sneak to shady motels to hang out together!” Steve complains. “If you’d just let me have my friend…”

“Your friend is a known prostitute and has previously been in trouble with the law,” the commissioner all but shouts, cutting off his stepson. “Maybe if you selected a better class of friend, I wouldn’t have issue with them being in my house!”

“It’s your house, not mine, right?” Steve says. “Because it’s not Mom’s house either.”

Pierce sighs. “It’s our home, Steven. Every single one of us. Whether you want to believe it or not, and I’ve always got your best interests at heart.”

Steve snorts, but doesn’t reply; Pierce says, “Go to your room, young man. We’ll continue this conversation later, when we’ve both had time to digest the situation.”

“Whatever.”

Steve slinks out of the room and takes the stairs by twos; once out of earshot, the commissioner directs his attention back to Bucky. “I can’t thank you enough for getting him out of what could’ve been a political nightmare,” the man says. “And for taking his word when he gave it to you.”

“He’s real protective of his friend,” Bucky says. “Stood right up to my partner and me, determined to make us listen. I don’t know if I can keep you from any fallout, but I did the best I could with the data I had at the time.”

Pierce steps further into the room, heads toward a sideboard and pours what looks to be two fingers of scotch. “Drink?”

“No sir, I’m still on duty.”

The older man nods, sips at the alcohol. “He’s one of the best boys I’ve ever met, and he’ll grow into one of the best men,” he says. “Of course, I can’t say that to him, because he’d probably take Lucifer’s word for something over mine.”

Bucky quirks a smile. “He’s got a lot of will.”

“I’m glad he’s human, or he’d be damn near impossible to live with. But Sergeant…”

“Just Barnes, please.”

“Barnes. Steven’s got a stubborn streak a mile wide and we tend to butt heads on almost everything. I would rejoice if he’d make friends and invite them here, would be happy to meet the girl or boy he decides to fall in love with, but he refuses to talk to anyone who’s not that boy.”

“Rumlow.”

“Yes. He thinks I’m oblivious to the friendship, and that I never realized how he hid Rumlow in our garage for a week during the boy’s heat. Because I wasn’t a police officer for twenty years before they made me a commissioner.” The man chuckles. “My son is not as good at being a sneak as he thinks he is.”

Bucky joins in with a soft chuckle. “That’s part of being a teenager, sir. I remember I was a bit of a hellion at his age.”

“As an Alpha, I can see why. And it seems you turned out well,” the man responds. “Is there anything I can do for you, to repay this kindness you’ve shown my family tonight?”

Bucky shakes his head no. “Just, go easy on him,” he says, gesturing to the stairs. “I know when I was his age, I did a lot of things my momma yelled at me for, and it wasn’t until later in life that I realized how she really kept me out of trouble by enforcing her rules.”

Pierce grins at that. “Be careful, Barnes, or I might just ask you to sit down and talk with him instead. My son could probably use another person’s opinion instead of ignoring mine.”

“If I can be of help, Sir.” Bucky pulls his card out of a pocket and hands it to the other man. “As I said, he seems like a good kid.” 

Pierce escorts him to the door, waves as he gets back in the cruiser. “Is Steve in a lot of trouble?” a soft voice asks from the backseat.

“All of it he earned himself, with your help.”

Rumlow shrinks down into the car seat. “I just wanted to see him,” he says, softly. “Haven’t seen him in two weeks and I missed him.”

Bucky does his best to not feel like a jerk. “Six years is a long time to keep a friend at your age,” he says. 

Rumlow nods. “I remember the first time I met Steve. He was on the playground getting his ass kicked for sticking up to some bullies. They were human bullies. I stood next to him and growled at them until they ran away. They were cowards, you know?”

“And you stuck up for Steve?”

“Yeah,” the Omega replies. “I was on my way back to the Timber Den when it happened. Steve asked me to come to dinner at his house as thanks, and it was the first time I’d ever had a home-cooked meal.”

Bucky winces. “Were you a runaway? Is that how you ended up at the Den?” 

“I was at the den as a puppy,” he says. “Mr. Banner says my mom dropped me off, told him my name, and that was the last he saw of her. So he’s kind of like my dad, I guess. And when I showed my secondary gender, he was really good to me so that I didn’t get hurt when I went into heat.”

“I’m glad you had someone like Bruce around you as a kid,” Bucky says, honestly. “He’s someone I’ve known for a long time and I respect him.”

“He’d be so ashamed of me now,” the boy says, ducking his head. “If he knew what I’d become.”

“Well, we’re gonna fix that, Bones,” Bucky replies. “So how do I find your guy?”

Rumlow gives him a shy smile, says, “Only Steve calls me Bones, but… it’s cool, if you want to. Everyone else calls me Rum. If you’re taking me to Rollins, then take me to the Red Room. Do you know where it is?”

Only one of the seediest bars in the tri-state area, Bucky definitely knows where it is. “Rollins is the guy who runs your clients?”

Bones nods. “He’s not so bad, really. He makes sure that we have meals and shelter if we need it.”

“Guy should get a medal,” Bucky growls, sarcastically. It makes Bones flinch back in the car seat. “Sorry, don’t be afraid of me. I’m just… grumpy at the idea that this guy’s probably been running you since you were underage.”

Bones shrugs. “I needed a way to make money after I left Timber Den. I only stayed until I was sixteen, and I didn’t have any skills, and couldn’t apply for a real job since I didn’t have a place to live. Jack took me in and let me hang around for a few months without complaint before I started turning tricks for him. And besides, he paid for all of my contraceptives and heat suppressant drugs. And he makes sure he turns away the johns who want it rough, and doesn’t let us work when we’re sick or tired or whatever. He’s really not a bad guy.”

Bucky keeps his opinions on Jack Rollins to himself and drives the car, determined to look the pimp up when he returns to the station. The name isn’t familiar to him, but maybe Clint knows about the guy. 

When they pull up in front of the Red Room he lets Bones out of the backseat. The Omega steers him to a side door, knocks twice, and waits.

The door opens and Bones grins. “ Hey, J.J.”

A huge, African-American man blocks their way into the club. “Rum,” the man rumbles. “You bringin’ cops here’s a good way to get into trouble, boy.”

“He’s not a cop at the moment, and I’m not doin’ anything wrong,” Bones replies, dragging Bucky past the big man and toward a hallway. “Just gettin’ my stuff.”

“Where’re you going?”

They both turn, and Bones beams. “Jack!” 

Bucky resists to urge to beat the man to a pulp; but no matter how much he wants to, he knows as an Alpha he’d be arrested if he knocked the crap out of the human male in front of him. 

And it would probably be worse, since Bones goes up to the guy and hugs the shit outta him. “Jack, guess what? This is my Alpha!”

Uh. What?

Bucky blinks, and the human blinks and then beams a ridiculous smile. “You’re shittin’ me. This guy gonna take care of ya?”

Bones nods, leans into the man as he ruffles the Omega’s hair. “I’m gettin’ out, Jack. He’s gonna take care of me.”

Jack squeezes Bones once more, then releases him. He walks up to Bucky and holds out his hand. “Jack Rollins,” he says.

“James Barnes,” Bucky replies, staring at the pimp in shock. “Uh. You’re really happy for him?”

“Of course!” the man says. “He’s a really good kid but this isn’t the right life for him. My boys are all drug free, clean and tested and safe, and I don’t begrudge them their lives when they’re ready to move on. Look, man, I know this sounds weird, but I grew up in Amsterdam. This was the way my Dad ran his shop, and that’s the way I run my business here. I don’t hurt the kids but they get hired and fired as needed, and rewarded when they deserve it. And in return, I get a really decent group of kids who don’t feel afraid of their johns or try to steal from me. It all works out.”

Bones sidles up to Rollins and presses against him. “I told you he wasn’t a bad guy,” he says to Bucky. The pimp presses a wet smacking kiss to Bones’ forehead and shoves him toward Bucky. 

“Get outta here, kid. You go tellin’ people I’m a nice guy and they’ll break my heart.”

Bones grins, mimes zipping his lips. Bucky shakes his head at the interplay between them, shocked and astounded. “Only in New York,” he mutters, and puts a hand on Bones’ shoulder. “You gonna go get your stuff?”

The Omega nods and takes off down a side hall, Bucky watching after him. As soon as he’s out of sight, Rollins turns to him. “If you hurt that boy, I promise you I’ll pay someone a lot of money to hunt you like a dog and break every bone in your body. I don’t care if you’re a cop, an Alpha, or God himself. You get me?”

Bucky’s good at reading people; he has to be, as a cop. And he sees nothing but a sincere threat in the pimp’s face. “You care about him, don’t you?”

“Rum’s not the kind of kid who ever should’ve been anything but adored,” Rollins replies. “I would’ve wanted him for myself, if his biology didn’t make him an Omega. I’d have been happy with him, no matter how old he was. And if you take advantage of that, I’ll make you sorry for it.”

“I’ll do my best by him,” Bucky says. “And it’s still not a good idea to threaten me, considering I just might be a cop.”

Rollins grins. “I don’t give a shit what you do for a living, man. You’re either a good guy, or you’re not. But you seem all right, so…”

Bucky feels every one of his thirty-one years as he collects Bones and his knapsack full of personal belongs and gets it all in the sedan. Exhaustion settles over him and he starts the drive back to his apartment. “Um. Was that okay, what I told Jack?”

“About me being your Alpha? No, Bones, that really wasn’t okay. What if he wants to check on you, and he realizes you’re not with me? He’s gonna worry and I’m gonna be held accountable to some pretty miserable bastards if they can’t find you.”

Bones goes pale. “But… but when I get settled somewhere, I can call him and tell him we didn’t work out…”

“How many Alphas and Omegas really don’t work out?”

“Uh…”

“Right. None. You lied to Rollins and dragged me into it.”

“Sorry?”

Bucky groans. What makes matters worse is that he knows the kid didn’t do it with malicious intent. “Jesus H. Between Pierce wanting me to be some sort of mentor to Steve, and you telling your pimp I’m your Alpha, it’s like my whole life’s gone to hell in one shot. How did this happen?”

Bones’ lower lip trembles and Bucky groans. “Don’t cry on me, kid, please. I’m not mad at you, I’m just complaining out loud.”

“No, it’s okay. I get it, I really fucked up. I’m sorry – did you want to take me back?”

“No. I’m taking you home with me, where I expect you to behave while I try to get a few hours of sleep, and then we can figure this thing out later when I’m not dead tired. Okay?”

“But what about the group home?”

“Bones. I’m not letting you outta my sight for a few days until I figure out how to handle what you told your pimp and what I can do to get you settled. You’re going to have to bunk on my couch, okay?”

Dark, wide eyes meet Bucky’s in the rearview mirror. “You mean, you’re keeping me?”

“You’re not a damn lost and found item,” Bucky says, scowling. “But yeah. I guess until we can figure something out, I’m keeping you.”

Bones grins so hard it hurts. “Can I call you James, then?”

Bucky groans. “Call me Bucky. All my friends do.”

“Okay… Bucky.”

Jesus, the sound of his name from the Omega wakes up parts of his biology that have been ignored for too long. “It’s gonna be a long week,” he mutters, and turns north toward his apartment.

** Three **

Bucky hasn’t had a dream like this since he was in high school. He’s surrounded by the scent of a sweet Omega, a warm body pressed against his side and half on top of him, and he’s licking his way into the Omega’s mouth, eating the soft whimpers off the Omega’s lips. He delves a hand between them, feels the other’s naked body and pushes the Omega’s legs apart to dip his fingers into the sticky-honey wetness gathered there. The submissive wolf’s ready for him and he groans, pulling the smaller body fully on top of him and burying his cock into the spicy wet heat. The Omega’s cries reach his ears and he growls, feeling his knot expand, ready to lock them together because this is his – molasses and clean laundry and – 

Bucky’s eyes snap open and his gaze locks with Bones’, the smaller man riding his hips with abandon. Bones whimpers as Bucky twists, pulling free of the Omega’s body before he can tie them together. “Jesus!” he swears, dumping Bones on the bed beside him. “What the fuck, Bones?”

The boy looks terrified. “I… what?”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Are you trying to get me to mate you for a reason?”

Bones trembles, looks at him with wide eyes. “I… no! You came into the living room an hour ago, picked me up from the couch, and brought me in here!” 

They stare at each other. Bucky knows he heard the Omega clearly, but he says, “What?”

The boy doesn’t avert his gaze. “You already tied us together once. You came into the living room, crawled on top of me on the couch, and tied me to you then. Smell me, if you don’t believe me! You said I was yours and you… this wasn’t my fault!”

As Bucky awakens further and further, he smells the truth: that Bones is indeed full of Bucky’s come. “I didn’t… I couldn’t have. I never would’ve… would’ve sleep molested you!”

Bones ducks his head, struggles to push himself off of the bed. “I thought you’d made your decision as to how to handle the situation,” he says, voice quivering. “Thought you might’ve just kept me instead of taking me to a home somewhere, or something. You were so gentle, I thought you wanted me.”

“Bones…”

He shakes his head, grabs one of Bucky’s shirts off the floor. He pulls it on and Bucky can’t help but notice how the sleeves hang off his arms and the shirt hangs halfway to his knees. “Should’ve known better than to think you’d want a whore,” he says, and walks toward the bathroom.

Bucky thinks it probably would’ve been less cruel to murder a puppy with his bare hands. He calls the boy’s name, sliding out of the bed. He knocks on his bathroom door, turns the handle. When he realizes it’s not locked, he slowly pushes the door open. Bones sits on the floor, knees pulled up to his chest. His eyes are red and swollen, but he’s crying silently. “Christ, I never should’ve done that to you.”

“Fucked me?”

The profanity slips out and makes Bucky want to growl. He’s not sure if he wants to growl at Bones or himself. “Taken you without your permission,” he clarifies, and watches as Bones shrinks even further into himself. “I didn’t give you a choice, Bones. No one should ever do that to you.”

“But I wanted it,” Bones mumbles into his knees. “The minute you walked into 218, I could smell… it was… I was so scared because no one’s ever smelled like you do. And then you tried to make me feel better, and you listened to Steve, and… and you talked to me like I mattered. And you believed me! No one’s ever done that before.”

Bucky sighs, says, “That doesn’t give me the right to take advantage of you.”

“You’re the first person I ever slept with because I wanted to.”

Bucky doesn’t have any response to that; he’s honored and horrified in the same breath, and a part of him wants to go Alpha male and carry the boy back to bed, love him properly. Oblivious to Bucky’s inner turmoil, Bones continues, “I didn’t try to push you off of me when you came into the living room, earlier. I opened my arms and my legs for you. You never forced me, not even when you were half out of it. And you made it really good.”

Bones is blushing so hard he looks ready to burst into flame, and Bucky chokes out a half-bark, half-laugh. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” the Omega responds. “I’m not stupid. I would’ve screamed if I was afraid of you, or fought back, or something.”

Bucky sinks to the floor with a groan, and as soon as his ass hits the tile Bones is clamoring over to him, all knees and elbows. The Omega curls into his side. “Please can we go back to bed?”

When Bucky opens his mouth to argue, Bones puts a finger to his lips. The finger smells like Bones’ wetness and Bucky sucks the digit into his mouth before he has time to think about it. Bones purrs next to him. “You haven’t finished satisfying me,” the Omega says. “You don’t have to bite me or claim me, and I’m on the pill so you won’t knock me up… but I want more of what I was getting earlier because it was so, so good. Please Bucky? Please, I want to.”

A man can only resist so much, it seems. With a snarl, Bucky scoops Bones into his arms and stands, using a shoulder to open the bathroom door so he can carry the boy back to bed. “Thank you,” Bones says, like Bucky’s doing him a favor instead of satisfying his own needs. “Fuck, please, want you back inside me…”

They fall into the bed, and Bucky turns at the last moment so Bones is on top of him, staring down at him with wide, dark eyes. “Ride me,” he tells the Omega. “Like you were.”

Bones doesn’t have any shame in sex; he sinks onto Bucky’s waiting cock and throws his head back, lifting his hips and focusing on his own pleasure. Bucky gets a hand around him, strokes his prick, enjoying the way Bones arches and whimpers with pleasure. “Knot me, knot me,” he chants, holding on to Bucky’s shoulders for leverage. “C’mon, feels so good…”

Bucky goes over with a groan, ties the two of them together. Bones collapses against his chest and he can’t help but kiss the smaller man. Bones kisses back, eager and sweet. 

“You feel good on me,” the Alpha admits. “Liked the way you smelled when I saw you in the motel.”

“You weren’t gonna do anything about it, though, were you?”

Bucky opens one eye and arches a brow. “Did you set this up on purpose? By telling Rollins what you did and ensuring I’d take you home with me?”

“Please don’t be mad,” the Omega replies, ducking his head. “But I wanted you the moment I scented you. First time ever that’s happened. I knew what Mr. Banner said, that when you meet your Alpha it all smells right, and how could I give you a chance to get away from me?”

Bucky’s not sure whether to laugh or throttle the boy on his dick. He glares at Bones, who leans forward and rests his head on Bucky’s chest. “I’m not sorry, not really,” he whispers into Bucky’s shoulder. “You seemed like such a good guy, like I’d be safe with you. And maybe happy.”

It says a lot, that Bones would be more concerned about being safe than being happy, and Bucky sighs. He runs a hand down the other’s back and strokes the soft skin he finds there. They stay like that, tangled together, until Bucky’s cell phone rings. He reaches over to his bedside table to see who’s calling.

Clint. Damn it.

He puts his finger to his lips, and Bones nods. He swipes across the screen and says, “Barnes.”

“You coming in to work today, or what?”

Bucky glances at the clock and groans. “Jesus. Had no idea it was so late.”

“Yeah, well. You’re an asshole who needs to bring me coffee. And a croissant.”

“Since when?”

“Since I’ve spent half the morning lying to Fury to cover your ass,” Barton says, and Bucky winces. “He wants to know why half of the leading team in last night’s raid is still MIA.”

“Fuck,” Bucky says, heartfelt. “Did you tell him?”

“I told him about Rogers and Rumlow, yeah. We talked privately in his office, so don’t worry… no one knows the kids were even there.”

“How’d he take it?”

“Pierce and he have been friends a long time, man. I think Fury might even shake your fuckin’ hand for this one. So where are you, anyway? How’d it go with the kids?”

“I’m still at home, and it went okay. I’ll tell you about it when I get in.”

“Yeah, well, hurry the fuck up. M’ tired of watching Tony flirt with Nat without backup.”

Bucky laughs. “Be there in forty-five or so.”

“I know it takes you a long time to get pretty, Buck, so I won’t hold it against you. But bring my coffee!”

Bucky hangs up on his partner without responding, tossing his phone back onto the nightstand. Bones is grinning down at him. “What?”

“You’re not like the other Alphas I’ve met,” he says. Curiously, he adds, “You let a beta talk to you like that?”

“Clint’s been my friend a long time, my partner for seven years. He’s an okay guy when he’s not talking.”

Bones giggles and it makes something in Bucky’s chest go soft. Maybe he is a bleeding heart. “You’ll meet him again, I suspect.”

“So… so you’re keeping me? For real, this time?”

“Don’t see that I have much of a choice, kid, as you very well know.” Bucky arches an eyebrow at him. “I think biology made the choice for both of us.”

“Oh.”

The smile fades out of Bones’ eyes and Bucky could kick himself. “I think we’ll make it work though. I mean, I’m not such a bad guy to get as an Alpha for such a gorgeous Omega, right? I’m not too horrible looking or anything.”

Bones shifts on his dick and makes his eyes cross. “You’ll do.”

Bucky gasps in mock outrage and surges up, rolling the two of them to one side so he’s over Bones. But Bones doesn’t look afraid; he’s too busy laughing, arching his neck submissively to Bucky. “I’ll do, huh?” Bucky says, licking a stripe up the boy’s skin. Bones sighs. “You’ll be satisfied with me, you think?”

“Yeah. I really do.”

It takes them another ten minutes or so before Bucky can dislodge his knot from the Omega’s body, and he marvels at the way Bones and he fit so seamlessly; not only the gentle teasing from his Omega, but the way the Omega seems smart, even if he’s a little scheming. He kisses the boy’s forehead and forces himself up, padding to the shower. 

Twenty minutes later, he’s shown Bones the layout to the apartment, given him leave to help himself to anything in the cupboards, and dressed himself for work. He leaves, promising Bones to be back as soon as possible, and given the Omega his cell number in case of emergency. He walks down the two flights of stairs, heads to his sedan, and pulls into traffic.

The squad room’s a dull roar when he gets there, and he strides towards his desk. Clint looks up at his arrival, frowning, and Bucky rolls his eyes. “I’m not bringing you coffee and pastries, Barton.”

Clint doesn’t seem to hear him, though; the blond takes a deep whiff of air and his eyes fly open wide. “Holy shit! When did you have time to get laid last night?”

The few conversations in the immediate vicinity halt, and yeah – Bucky’s going to murder his idiot best friend. “Don’t we have cases to solve?” he growls, and Clint shakes himself out of his shock. “You know, crime doesn’t sleep.”

“Obviously neither did you,” Natasha says, dropping into the chair next to Bucky’s desk. The other Alpha leans into his space a little and sniffs him. “You got mated. Almost, anyway,” she says bluntly. “Good for you, Barnes, we thought you’d be an old maid forever.”

Clint gapes at his wife and his partner and says, “Holy shitballs. There was only one Omega we came into contact with last night…”

“Barton…”

“You mated the kid? You know, the friend of the commis…. OUCH FUCK,” Clint yelps, as Bucky kicks him none-too-gently in the kneecap. “Jesus, fine! I’ll only ask you later, though.”

“Maybe not in front of the world’s worst group of gossips,” Bucky growls back, and Clint subsides into his chair. “Meanwhile: where are we on processing the group from last night?”

“Almost done, no thanks to you,” Clint pouts, still rubbing his leg. “And Fury wants to see you.”

Bucky sighs, rises from his chair, and heads towards the Captain’s office. He knocks, and hears his boss shout, “Come in.”

“You wanted to see me, sir?” he asks, closing the door behind him.

Fury gives him a glare, nods to one of the chairs in the room. “Heard you helped a friend of mine out last night with a problem.”

“Not intentionally,” Bucky replies. “The kids were cleared at the scene and…”

“Barton told me. But you still handled it with professionalism, Barnes. Pierce called me this morning to thank me for a job well-done, and to confirm if your offer of assistance was still on the table.”

“He wants me to talk to Steve?”

“The two of them have been butting heads for years,” Fury confirms. “He thinks maybe an Alpha’s influence will be good for the boy.”

Bucky smothers his sob of hysteria; doesn’t say _I don’t see how I’d be a good role model since I’ve knotted his friend._ Fury seems to read the response on his face, though, because the man squints his eye and barks, “Why the hell do you look like that?”

Bucky spills everything. When he’s done, the man on the other side of the desk stares at him without saying anything. Bucky’s somehow reminded of being five years old and waiting for his momma to ground him.

“So you’re now mated to the barely-legal hooker making the commissioner’s life miserable.”

“Not mated… yet?”

Fury rubs at a vein throbbing in his forehead. “Sometimes I wonder if God tests me because I’ve done something terrible,” the man says. “Truly terrible. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything worth this kind of punishment, but who’s to know?”

“Sir…”

“Shut up, Barnes.”

Bucky shuts his mouth. Fury levels a finger at his chest. “I know the mating bond trumps everything; I know that you probably had no choice in the matter with what your biology told you to do. But this is a fucking disaster, you realize.”

“His lifestyle isn’t completely his fault,” Bucky says. “It’s not like he grew up in circumstances that gave him a lot of other options. And he’s out of it, now.”

“Is he? You think Jack Rollins is just going to let him walk away?”

“No one’s going to want to fuck a hooker that smells like a mated Omega,” Bucky replies, bluntly. “No one. And that kid’s mine.”

He doesn’t realize how much he means it until he hears the growl in his own throat. Fury raises a hand to pacify. “Not what I meant. You’re a cop and walked into a damn brothel and you think, what? That Rollins isn’t going to try to blackmail you? Or want a heads-up when we want to raid his club? Or, picture this – the commissioner finds out that the man he thought was going to help him keep his stepson in line is actually allowing his access to the one person Pierce wanted to keep Steven away from.”

“It’s a cluster fuck, I know. But I’m not going to give Bones a reason to run from me.”

“Bones?”

“Brock,” Bucky says. “It’s his nickname. I don’t know why I picked it up. It just fits him, the kid’s skin and bones and needs someone to keep a damn eye on him.”

Fury stares at him and he refuses to blink. The black man huffs out a breath and says, “You get to explain this to the commissioner, when he asks.”

“I have no problems telling the man the truth. Hell, maybe it’ll help him come to terms with his son and Brock being friends, since Brock’s going to clean up his act as my mated Omega.”

“You’re so sure about that, are you?”

“Yeah, I am,” Bucky replies. “That boy’s never had anyone other than Steve to look out for him, and that’s gonna be my main focus for a while. And if Rollins or anyone else comes looking for trouble, I’ll have his ass in a cell so fast he won’t know what hit him.”

Fury does nothing to suppress his smile. “Does the kid know he’s got you wrapped around his little finger yet?”

“It’s probably not going to take him long to figure it out,” Bucky replies. “Fuck. Am I that obvious?”

“Aliens in space could see it.”

Bucky stomps out of the man’s office, listening to his laughter in the background.

He returns to his desk and starts his paperwork from the night before, working with Clint to ensure that they cross every ‘t’ and dot every ‘i’. He’s so buried that it takes Clint kicking him in the shin for him to realize the other man’s holding out his desk phone. “Call for you,” Clint says, smirking.

Bucky frowns and takes the phone in his hand. “Barnes.”

“You didn’t answer your cell phone,” a soft voice says. Bones. “I wondered… um. Would it be okay if I met you for lunch?”

Bucky glances at his watch and realizes it’s almost two. “You haven’t eaten yet?”

“I found some chips in your cabinets but there’s not a lot of food here. And I… I miss you?”

Bucky finds himself smiling at the phone. “You do, huh?”

“I… I didn’t realize that letting you knot me would make me so clingy,” Bones replies, sounding somewhere between annoyed and amused. “But yeah, I kinda do.”

“Funny, kid, because I was just thinking about you too. Yeah, lunch sounds good. You got a way to get here or am I gonna have to come get you?”

“Well…”

Bucky patiently waits him out. Finally, the boy caves, “I’m in the lobby downstairs. I took a cab.”

“What? How’d you pay for a cab?”

“I had a couple twenties in my pocket. Are you going to come down and get me? They won’t let me come up to see you without an escort.”

“I’ll be right there.”

The elevator doors don’t get a chance to close before Clint and Natasha dart into the elevator. Bucky doesn’t even bother trying to glare them off. “Nothing to say?”

“Nope. Only that if you two scare him, I’ll tear you to pieces.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Natasha replies, but smiles sweetly at him. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on this one to ensure he’s nice.”

“Nat!”

Clint’s argument dies as the elevator opens, and Bucky strides into the lobby. He doesn’t even have to look for his Omega; the smell leads him around the front desk toward a group of chairs. The boy’s sitting quietly, head down, surrounded by a group of soon-to-be-dead cops. “Hey, Bones,” Bucky growls, feeling his fangs and claws trying to drop. “Are these assholes bothering you?”

Bones looks up, tips his head to the side to offer Bucky his throat. “No, Alpha. I was just waiting for you.”

The crowd disperses with great haste, and Bones grins. “Wow. You know how to clear a room…” 

“Hush,” Bucky says, and crouches in front of the Omega. He gives in to the desire to bury his face in the boy’s neck and is pleased by the little shiver Bones gives. “So you were waiting for me, huh?”

“Yeah.” Two skinny arms encircle him and they stay there a moment. “I like this.”

“Me too,” Bucky replies. He pulls back, sits on one of the chairs next to the Omega and Bones gives him a sweet grin. “So Bones, you remember my partner Clint, right?”

Bones nods, and Clint says, “Hi, Brock. Nice to see you under different circumstances.”

“Lilkewise,” Bones replies. “Um. Hi?”

Clint waves a hand between Nat and Bones. “And this is my Alpha, my wife Nat.”

“You… oh,” Bones says, and curls closer to Bucky. “I’m… it’s nice to meet you, too?”

Natasha smiles and Bucky watches as she gives his Omega a soft look. “Hello. It’s very nice to meet the Omega who caught my best friend’s attention.”

“Tasha,” Bucky complains, but she waves him off.

“I’m pretty lucky,” Bones says. “He’s really nice to me.”

“So we hear you guys are going to lunch?”

“Yes, Barton. Lunch. Alone,” Bucky says, glaring at his partner. “So Bones and I can talk about things.”

Natasha snorts. “Things? Men. All right, go. Figure out your new life together, and don’t forget to invite us to the bonding ceremony when you have it.”

“ _Tash!_ ” Bucky cries, and covers his face. “Just…. No. Stop thinking about that already. Jesus.”

“I don’t think I should wear white,” Bones says, nudging him. “Would seem kinda inappropriate.”

Bucky groans and yanks Bones to his feet. “All right, we’re off. See you two later.”

“Bye!” Bones calls, waving with his free hand. Bucky drags him out the double doors of the station, down the steps and towards his car. “You’re trouble,” he says, prodding the Omega along. “Wearing white. Jesus.”

“Well, it’s true…”

“Don’t encourage them!”

Bones finally gets his feet under himself and he digs in his heels. “I told you I was sorry to cramp your life…”

Bucky all but drags Bones into his arms. “Did I say that? Huh? No. I only said not to encourage Natasha and Clint to start planning a bonding ceremony. Because I’m going to bite you, sweetheart,” Bucky growls, his voice dropping with intent and want. “I’m going to claim you, make you mine, I’m going to own you and you’re going to own me… but I don’t need a damn ceremony to do it. I want to do it privately, with you, in our bed, in our home, where we both belong.”

Bones stares up at him with wide, dark eyes. After a few false starts, he says, “I want that, too.”

Bucky kisses him. Doesn’t care that it looks like he’s kissing a kid, doesn’t care that a few officers stop to gawk at the two of them. He kisses Bones like a promise and a threat all wrapped up at once, then promptly drags Bones off to his car.

They drive quietly to a little diner, walk into the restaurant side-by-side. “Order whatever you want,” Bucky says, and watches as Bones orders a plate of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and peas. He gets a burger; when the waitress leaves them, he says, “Sorry I got a little aggressive back there.”

“I liked it.”

“Bones…”

“No, really. I liked it. I like… I want to belong to someone, I always have. I’m not brave, not really. I’ve always wanted someone to call home and I’ve always wanted to be what someone else wanted. Not, like, changing myself for someone, but for someone to love me, to… to see me as Brock, not see my job or my shitty choices or whatever. I’m not smart, Bucky, not like you, not like Steve or Steve’s stepfather, I don’t have a lot of skills, I don’t even have a high school diploma. But I think I could be a really good Omega for you anyway. I’ll be loyal, and I’ll learn to cook, and to take care of the house, and…”

“Hey, kid, stop. I don’t need a list of qualifications and I don’t want you to be a damn maid. I want you to be happy being with me. For example, did you want to go back to school? Get a G.E.D., maybe take some college courses? Remember, if I’m the guy loving you, that also means I want what’s best for you. You’re not stupid, kid, you’ve got the street smarts that Steve won’t ever have. And you’re clever, I can tell.”

Bones ducks his head and blushes. “I’m clever? You think so?”

“All the soft flirting and telling Jack I was your Alpha? Yeah, Bones. You’re a little schemer. Fortunately I find mischief attractive.”

Bones grins hard. “Glad to know. I didn’t claim to be a saint, anyway. But I meant what I said. I’ll be a really good Omega for you, Bucky. And yeah, I probably should go back to get some real schooling and I probably could learn some skills other than… well. Other than my current skill set.”

Bucky tries not to shred the table top thinking about the way Bones had to use his skill set to earn enough money to survive. “We’ll find a way to swing the apartment and schooling on my salary, okay? I don’t want you to worry about…”

“I can contribute, if you want?”

Bucky snarls before he can stop it. “There’s no way you can continue to…”

“Bucky!” Bones says, waving his hands. “No, Alpha, not like that! I mean, I have a little money saved…”

Bucky narrows his eyes at him. “How?”

Bones scratches his head. “Uh. Don’t be mad, but when I first met Jack, I asked him to help me save some of my money for if I got sick, or hurt, or whatever. He’s been investing some of my cut for me? I’ve got all the paperwork and stuff in my bag at your apartment, but I’ve got like five grand in savings that I can chip in. For us to both have. I mean, uh. Technically, what once was mine is now yours, since I’m your Omega?”

Bucky’s anger deflates and an odd sense of pride fills his chest. “Bones. That’s your money. You earned every penny of it, and there’s no way I would take that from you.”

“But…”

“Not open for discussion, kid. I’m the Alpha and I say so.”

Bones pouts. “You’re not going to use that to win every argument, are you?”

Bucky laughs. “I don’t know, it seems pretty effective.”

Bones kicks him under the table and goes back to eating his lunch. 

 

** Four **

Two months later, Bucky realizes the most amazing part about biting Bones is that the whole process goes more smoothly than he could’ve imagined. And despite Natasha and Clint’s fervent protests, they do the ceremony at home, just the two of them, intimately.

Bucky grins a little stupidly when he thinks about it.

Bones burns water and twice tries to take out their entire kitchen in an effort to help; then, just when Bucky thinks they’re going to live on take-out forever, Bones announces he made friends with “Loretta-call-me-Lola”, the woman who lives in the apartment two doors down. Burnt water turns into scrambled eggs, which turns into Bones’ own version of homemade meatloaf and mashed potatoes and Bucky stares at his pants when the traitors won’t fit anymore.

Bones laughs himself sick over that one.

Bucky survives a long sit-down conversation with Alex Pierce and Steve, even though he doesn’t come out of the conversation completely unscathed… but even more miraculously, the majority of the terrifying threats comes from Steve and not Pierce. Pierce agrees that having a police sergeant as a mate might make Rumlow a more agreeable candidate for a friend, and allows Steve permission to visit Bones and Bucky. 

Bones beams, and Bucky can’t find it in himself to be jealous when the Omega throws himself at Steve, the two boys hugging each other tightly. 

Bones looks properly chastised once he admits to his best friend exactly why Bucky was forced to take him home, but he still doesn’t look guilty about it. Schemer. Bucky loves him anyway.

And that’s the craziest thing: he thoroughly, _thoroughly_ loves Bones. He’s shy and sweet most ways, but scheming and naughty in other ways, and the dual nature keeps Bucky on his toes. Bucky can’t help but rise to meet the challenge of keeping his mate happy, and they work pretty well together.

“Hey, Buck?”

Bucky looks up from the file he’s reading, takes the cup of coffee from Bones’ hand. “Yeah, kid?”

Bones rolls his eyes affectionately. Their Sunday morning’s been a soft, gentle morning thus far: Bones doing homework so he could take his G.E.D., and Bucky going over current case files to catch up on his backlog. “I was wondering if you were still sleepy.”

“Sleepy?”

Bones nods. “Sleepy. Tired. It’s still pretty early for a Sunday morning, you know. Maybe we should go back to bed for a while.”

Bucky takes a whiff and oh – Bones is desperately not talking about sleeping. “I think that I could use a few more hours of rest,” he replies, grinning at his Omega. 

Bones starts stripping right there in the living room. Bucky isn’t far behind. Life’s good.


End file.
